Re: Yes, there is a Mineral Definition

will e wrote:
> Some minerals are formed either directly or indirectly by the action of Man
> or other life forms and might be placed in the realm of "organic minerals",
> especially those substances that contain carbon in its composition. 


This has been an interesting discussion.  To keep it going a bit, 
I would ask you folks whether or not you would consider a human 
kidney stone to be a mineral?  Compositionally, most are the same 
as "naturally" occurring inorganic minerals, such as apatite 
(though not all - some are crystalline organic compounds such as 
uric acid and cysteine) and a suite of much more obscure minerals 
(struvite, brushite, newberyite, hannayite, whewellite, 
weddellite, and others).  But they are "made" by humans.

I suggest that they are still minerals, in that they occur 
naturally, even if inside humans.  It is probably just a matter 
of semantics or preference as to what to call them.

http://www.gravmag.com/kstones.html for some pictures.

cheers,
dick gibson


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Richard I. Gibson, Gibson Consulting
Gravity-Magnetic-Geologic Interpretations
http://www.gravmag.com

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